Don't Deserve This
by Zammie Luv
Summary: Post-Mockingjay. Instead of Gale leaving to live in District 2, he comes back to 12. But Gale isn't the same person he was. Katniss has always been able to stand up for herself, but can she against her best friend? R&R please! WILL HAVE PEETA KATNISS!
1. But It Did

**Okay! First of all, thank you to all the people who have already reviewed! My computer did something funky and messed up my paragraphs and spacing the first time I uploaded this chapter, so I re-uploaded it and hopefully it is fixed! Oh and for someone who asked, yes, I am definitely Team Peeta! Enjoy!**

I remember the first time it happened. The first time he hit me. I was walking back to Gale's house after a day of hunting. I came home after the rebellion and had no one left. My mother was working as a

doctor somewhere in District 2 and everyone else was dead. Well, Peeta is alive, but he was somewhere in District 4 visiting an aunt of his and I didn't know how long he would be gone. Plus, I wasn't exactly

sure where we stood with our relationship, if you can even call it that. I couldn't stand to be alone all the time and Gale is my best friend. I honestly don't know what I would've done without him.

Anyways, I was walking up to the porch of the large rustic-looking house. The dwelling was not located in Victor's Village but it was still rather extravagant. The wooden carvings on the front door looking

as if roots were springing up and trying to claw their way through the door. I walked inside and closed the door behind me. Gale was standing in the kitchen area washing his hands. I smiled at him but his

terse words took me by surprise, "You're late."

I raised my eyebrows at him and said, "Yeah, I was heading back and saw that the bakery was being reopened. I went inside to check it out and started talking to Rick. He said they will finally reopen in

two weeks when Peeta returns." Gale turned to me, his gray signature Seam eyes glaring at me. "Of course, you can't wait until Peeta comes back, can you?" he said, emphasizing Peeta's name with

contempt. I wasn't sure where this was coming from. I mean, we weren't a couple exactly, but I guess we weren't just friends either. I hadn't really thought about it. We spent most of our time healing and

trying to forget the past. Well, maybe not forget, but remember without it hurting so much. He did hold me when I cried or woke up screaming, and I did the same for him. Peeta and I aren't the only ones who

have nightmares. Gale had fought in this war too.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about Gale?" I took a few steps toward him but stopped when I saw his hands ball into fists at his sides. His fingers were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Oh sure!" he spat. "You are just waiting for your precious Peeta to come back so you can leave. Even though I'm the one who took care of you, I always have!" I could see now that he was having some

kind of episode, even if it wasn't as crazy as the ones Peeta is tortured with.

My voice turned to a soothing tone as I said, "I know you have, and I thank you for that. Don't be mad, that stuff you said isn't true."

Gale took three large steps toward me and I heard his leather boots scrape across the wooden floor. He grabbed my wrist and hissed, "Just come home on time." I yanked my arm away and pushed him

back.

Scowling at him I said, "Don't talk to me like that." He raised his arm and I was not expecting what came next. His swung his hand down and came in firm contact with my cheek. I could feel the sting but

that wasn't what brought tears to my eyes. The worst part was, for the first time in my life, I was afraid of Gale. I stood silently for a moment and stared up and him, waiting to see what he would do next. His

eyes flickered from anger to regret in a second. And that's when I ran. I turned and ran up the stairs with all my speed. I raced into my room and flung the door closed behind me. The lock clicked in place as I

stood with my back against the door, waiting to hear the footsteps that soon came. I slid down to the floor and hugged my knees to my chest. Salty tears streamed down my face and I wiped them away

angrily with the back of my hand.

"Katniss! Katniss, I'm sorry. Please open the door." Something was wrong. That wasn't the Gale I knew. I sat there and refused to open the door for several minutes of silence. "Katniss, I'm really sorry. It

was just one of those things, where I remember the games, and the war, and… I'm sorry. Please open up. Please, Catnip?" I could hear the hurt in his voice; he was sorry. And maybe I wasn't giving him

enough slack. I had those days too. When I couldn't believe my sister was gone, and I was angry. Angry at the world. Angry at everyone. So slowly, I rose to my feet and wiped my face with my sleeve. I

opened the door just a sliver and he slowly pushed it the rest of the way. Gale pulled me into his arms and I cried just a little. "I'm so sorry. It will _never _happen again, I promise." I looked up into his eyes and

I believed him. In that moment, I was sure it would never happen again.

But it did.

**Okay! How did you like it? R&R please! I promise I will try to update soon!**


	2. He's Back

**Okay, here is another chapter. I have a bunch of projects coming up so I will probably not be able to update until next weekend. So I put this up today. Hope you like it!**

It had been almost three weeks since then. I sat quietly on the bench and pulled on my hunting boots. Looking up at Gale, I asked, "What are you going to do today?" I grabbed my jacket and yanked it on,

clasping the worn down buttons.

"I think I am going to discuss some things with Charlie about the pitch tomorrow. I should be home around five," he said. I cringed at the thought of him and his _business_, as he called it. He was a military man

who helped create new bombs and weapons for our armies. Just like the one used to destroy the little bit of family I had left, Prim. Tears threatened to cloud my eyes but I forced them away and shoved the

thoughts to the back of my mind. "When will you be home?" he asked.

I thought about it for a moment. "Five thirty. . . actually it will probably be closer to six o' clock. I'll go hunting and then probably look around the new 'marketplace' that is being finished. That's technically the

new Hob but it's not illegal." I gave myself an extra half hour just in case. If I came home late that would certainly provoke him and I really didn't want to start a fight. It had been a pretty good week so far.

Gale had only hit me once, well unless u count shoving or pushing. It was becoming pretty regular now but he hadn't done any serious damage, so I tried to ignore it. Plus, I couldn't stand losing him as a

friend, so I guess this was the price I had to pay.

"Oh that sounds fine. Will you bring home something for us to cook tonight?" he asked as he reached the door. He opened the door and took one step out. It was just past noon; the sun was high up in the

sky. The weather was a little chilly and there was a light breeze outside.

"Yeah, sure. I'm thinking squirrels today though." I was halfway through braiding my too-short-for-comfort brown hair when he leaned down and kissed the top of my head.

"Alright, I will see you in a little while." And with that, he walked down the porch steps and headed towards his _business partner's_ house. I couldn't believe that was the same guy who shoved me into the wall

the other day. I watched him until he was no longer visible and then I left too.

I walked across the town that was now being rebuilt and reached the electric fence. It was never on anymore, but they kept it there to keep animals out. I scrambled my way through the hole in the fence

and found my bow that was still hidden in that old tree. I pulled it out and ran my fingers across the smooth wood. I liked the way it felt on my fingers and stood there for a few moments until a squirrel

scampered by me. I froze the lower half of my body and pulled the arrow back in the bow. I breathed in silently and focused my aim on the squirrels head. It didn't seem to notice I was any danger yet, so I

exhaled and sent the arrow sailing towards it. Right in the eye. I picked the small creature up and put it in my pack. This went on for a few hours but I only caught five squirrels when I decided to go back into

town.

Passing back through the fence, I headed towards the "marketplace". I strolled past the bakery but the smell of freshly baked bread made me stop. The bakery is back open again and that meant one thing.

_Peeta is back_. I couldn't stop myself from walking into the shop, the bells on the door tinkling at the movement. I smiled at Rick at the counter and headed back towards the kitchen. And from across the room I

saw him. He was working alone in the room, focused on some dough he was kneading. I had the sudden urge to run to him and throw my arms around him, but I controlled it. "Peeta," I said hesitantly. My

voice sounded unsure, almost like it was a question.

He looked up from the bread he was making. His blue eyes were sparkling and his blonde hair was messed up in all the right places. He flashed that signature smile that girls all across Panem swooned about.

"Katniss!" He took a step towards me and then I couldn't control myself. I ran over to him and he pulled me into his arms. Tears even sprang to my eyes when I looked up at him. "I missed you," he almost

whispered.

"I missed you too. Are you back permanently now?" I had unraveled myself from his strong arms now, but a part of me wished I hadn't.

He smiled again and said, "Yes, and I'm living in my house in Victor's Village. I heard you were living with Gale. Would you mind if I walked back to your house with you? I would love to see him again too."

My head screamed at me that it was a terrible idea. Gale wasn't expecting Peeta and who knows what he will do. What if he gets physical with Peeta? What if he hits me in front of him? I had almost decided

that I would say that he couldn't when the words tumbled out of my mouth, "No, not at all. I would love it if you joined me." I really did want to spend more time with him so I didn't give it a second thought

when he packed up his things. We started to walk back and we talked about his aunt and other news. The election of a new President and stuff like that. We reached the door to Gale's house and I creaked

open the door slowly. "Gale? Peeta is here. He is back from District 4 and wanted to stop by and say hello," I spoke slowly and waited to see what would happen next. I let out a sigh of relief when Gale

smiled and shook Peeta's hand.

"Peeta! What a surprise! I wasn't expecting you! How do you like the new-and-still-improving District 12?" This went on for about fifteen minutes. There was small talk and Peeta left us with a cheesy bread of

some kind.

"Well I better be heading home before the sun goes down. I'll see you guys around," Peeta said and shook Gale's hand once more. He then gave me a quick hug and walked out the door. I was afraid of what

would come next. Gale was walking back towards the kitchen and I thought I was clear. But then the first dish smashed on the wall next to my face.

**So? Still liking how it is going? Should there be more Katniss and Gale or more Katniss and Peeta? Tell me what you think? Thank you for reading and please review!**


	3. Baker Boy

**Okay, I know its been a week but school has been crazy! I really like this chapter, so please enjoy!**

Plates, glasses, and pans came flying at me. Even a potted plant was smashed, leaving a large crack on the wall. "Gale! I'm sorry! He wanted to see you! What was I supposed to tell him?" I tried to shield myself with my arms as I ducked away from a mug flying through the air.

His hair was rumpled and his eyes flared with anger, "You could have at least warned me!"

I ran away from the kitchen area and yelled, "How? What was I supposed to do?" I dodged a few more soaring objects.

"This is my house! You can't just-" That caught me off guard and I stopped moving for a second.

I was boiling with anger, "Oh, I'm sorry!" I said sarcastically. "I didn't know I was such a burden to live with!" I had let my guard down too long, because before I knew it, a plate was flying through the air and connected with my forehead. It smashed into pieces and slit hundreds of tiny cuts into my skin. I felt dizzy and suddenly I was falling. Then my world went black.

I woke up the next morning in my normal bed. I sat up and pain shot through my head. I let out a small cry and leaned back down, waiting for the vertigo to stop. I heard a small knock on the door and I knew what was coming next. This happens a lot. Gale will come in and apologize and ask if I need anything. I will say I am fine and then we will be done with it. "Come in," I croaked.

Gale walked into my room holding a glass of water. His hair was slicked back and he was wearing a suit. He wore a nice patterned tie and shined dress shoes. I winced as I sat up again, taking the water. The cool liquid soothed my throat Gale looked at my forehead. He reached his hand for it and I flinched away from him. "Look, I'm sorry for doing that, but just ask next time please?" I was a little surprised at his insincerity. Usually he looked guilty, but today he looked like he was just going through the motions.

I didn't feel like fighting about it so I nodded, "Sure." I got up, feeling a little better now. I walked over to the mirror in the bathroom to get a look at the damage. "Why are you all dressed up?"

Gale ran his hand over his hair and spoke, "Charlie and I are going into District 11 today to promote the new CPT Bomb. You don't remember? I won't be home until late." I then remembered what he was talking about. He would be gone the whole day. _That might actually be nice_, I thought to myself.

I examined my forehead. There was a large purpling bruise at the top that hurt extremely bad when touched. Little red cuts were scattered across my hairline. "Oh yeah, I will probably go hunting again then."

Gale came up behind me and I expected him to kiss my head or something usual. But this time he just patted my shoulder and said, "Clean that up," pointing to my head. "We don't want all the people in town talking about how u fell down the stairs." He winked slightly and then left me alone.

I stood there and waited to hear the front door slam. After a few moments, I did and I started to put clothes on. I put on some brown cargo pants and a long sleeve shirt. I braided my hair and gritted my teeth every time it yanked on my hair. Once I was finished, I looked at the makeup kit Effie Trinket had given me after the rebellion. I looked through all the bizarre colors and finally found something close to my skin tone. I squeezed some into my hand and rubbed it gingerly onto my head. The color looked almost normal so I brushed my teeth and left without breakfast.

I walked slowly, enjoying the light breeze. I was about to turn left towards the woods when I heard someone call my name. "Katniss!" I turned around slowly and saw Peeta, covered in flower, jogging towards me. As he approached me, I began to feel self-conscience. What if he saw my bruise? But he didn't seem to notice as he pulled me into him for a hug. He smelled like cinnamon and his strong arms were warm around me.

I slowly pulled away and smiled, "Peeta. How are you?"

He clapped his hands together and flour puffed off of them. "I am great! I'm just working on some cinnamon rolls. Want some breakfast?" Guiltily, I nodded and he led me into the bakery. Peeta handed me a cinnamon roll and looked at me expectantly.

I bit into it and was amazed. It was delicious, warm, and had lots of frosting. "Peeta, this is delicious!"

His dazzling smile appeared on his face as he said, "I'm glad you like it. I'm sorry I don't have a break right now, but you are welcome to stay in the kitchen with me?"

"Well, I don't want to bother you," I said quietly. I actually would love to just stay here and watch.

Peeta frowned and said, "What I meant was, please stay, I love your company." The statement was followed by a crooked smile that made me giggle.

"Ok, I will watch you," I said with a smile. We went on like this for about an hour, just talking while he made his pastries and breads.

After a while, Peeta turned to me with a dorky grin and asked, "Would you like to help me make something?" I refused at first but he wouldn't take no for an answer. "Well start out by cracking eggs and adding all these ingredients together," he said as he slapped down a list in front of me. I put on one of his spare aprons and got to work.

He made fun of my whisking and I shoved him playfully. "Oh, I'm sorry I'm not an excellent whisker like you, baker boy!" I took some of the batter and wiped it on his face, "Whoops."

"Oh really?" he said mischievously. He then swiftly picked of the bowl of batter and made a move towards me. I gasped and he said, "Not so bad now, are we?"

I stared him straight in the eyes and said, "You wouldn't."

"Watch me!" He ran after me with it. Every time he got close to splashing me, I would dash in the other direction. He was seriously chasing me around the kitchen while I was giggling like a madman. Istopped abruptly and realized I was trapped.

"Peeta, wait, wait. Think about what you are-" I gasped as he threw the batter at me. I was covered in it. Peeta was laughing so hard that he couldn't breathe so I grabbed the still half-full bowl and said, "Oh, you think that's funny, huh?"

I chucked the rest of it on him. "Katniss! You did not just do that!" He tried to grab the bowl from my hands and slipped, pulling me down on top of him. By that time, we were both laughing hysterically. I couldn't even breathe as I looked at us, sitting on the bakery floor covered in batter.

"Wow! You suck!" I said as I stood up and attempted to dust myself off, still laughing.

"What? You started it!" he said as he grabbed a paper towel to wipe off his face. He handed me one too. I was wiping off my chin when he said, "Here, let me help." Peeta slowly wiped off my cheek but his thumb touched my forehead and I yelped in pain. He yanked his hand away and said, "What did I do?"

I shook my head and continued to cautiously clean my forehead. "Oh, nothing, I just fell down the stairs and hit my head. It's nothing." The makeup must have rubbed off because he walked closer to me.

He studied my forehead and said, "Oh ouch, this looks like someone did this to you. Did someone hurt you, Katniss? You can tell me." His voice got very quiet at the end as he looked into my eyes.

I looked back into his gorgeous blue eyes and chewed on my lip. I swallowed hard and almost had to hold back tears when I muttered, "No, I'm just clumsy." I tried to smile but it faltered.

Peeta didn't look like he believed me but didn't push it. "You are really beautiful, you know that?" He brushed a stray hair away from my face.

I blushed at his random comment and really smiled, "Thank you. You're not too bad yourself." I joked.

He laughed a little but then began to lean towards me. I then realized he was going to kiss me. My heart leaped and I was about to close the small distance between our lips. I closed my eyes but I suddenly heard a low voice, "Katniss." That could only be one person.

**Did you like it? Love it? Hate it? Suggestions? Just review! Thank you so much for reading! **


	4. I Shouldn't Care

**Ok! This is a chapter a lot of you have been waiting for! I hope you guys like it! Enjoy!**

My eyes shot open and I jumped away from Peeta. I could feel those dark grey eyes glaring at me as I turned around. "Gale. Your home early?" I tried to keep my voice steady, but my heart was pounding. I couldn't help but be afraid of what would happen next. Would Gale attack me? Or attack Peeta?

"Well, it's seven o' clock, so not really," Gale said. His voice sounded controlled so my fear was quelled slightly.

Peeta had come out of his frozen state beside me and was walking towards Gale to explain. "No! Peeta stop!" I was yelling and I didn't even know it. I couldn't let Gale hurt Peeta because of me. I straightened myself up and spoke, "I mean, I will explain the situation to him. Don't worry, he will understand." I walked over and slipped in between the two. "We should go," I said quietly. I really didn't want to go. I truly was afraid of what was going to happen when I got home. But I grabbed Gale's hand anyway and tugged him out the door. Our trudge back to the house was silent.

My nerves were getting to me as I stepped into the house and pulled off my batter-covered boots. I had walked into the living area by the time he said his first words, "Have fun while I was gone?" His face held a wicked smile but his tone was anything but friendly. I couldn't open my mouth, I was paralyzed with fear. "Oh, don't kiss and tell?"

Finally I mustered up enough courage to say something, "We never kissed. Nothing even happened. I tried to sound tough but my voice cracked.

Gale walked towards me and stopped only a step away. "Not yet. I got there before anything could _really_ happen." He reached his hand up to my face. I felt the overwhelming urge to scream, but I contained it. His fingers brushed my cheek as he said, "Just couldn't keep your hands off him, could you?"

My cheeks flushed red as I realized what he was suggesting. Then anger flooded through me, at his thought of me being so dirty, at the thought of him insulting Peeta. "I would have never done anything like that!"

Gale reached up and grabbed me around the neck, squeezing slightly. "I don't believe you. You are just a cheater." His eyes flared with anger and, it seemed almost like, insanity. I tried to take a deep breath but his hand was blocking most of the air. I could still breathe but only through short, shallow breaths.

I realized that I should try to calm him down if I didn't want to get seriously hurt. "Gale, I was not trying to hurt you, I promise. But technically, we aren't a couple." I could see that the comment just made him angrier because his grip tightened around my throat. Gale looked me in the eyes and they were filled with craziness. It scared me too much to look into them so I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to focus on getting some air into my lungs.

"What are we then? You live in my house!" I couldn't breathe at all now so I began to claw at his hands. I wasn't making any progress and choking sounds began to escape my mouth. "You just use me!" he screamed and he threw me against the wall.

I sucked in a huge breath just before my head connected with the wall. Blood trickled down onto my eyelids and a sharp pain was pounding into my skull."I'm not using you, Gale. It won't happen again. It won't. Stop this," I said slowly.

He approached me again and fear crept into me once again. "Were you going to stop?" his yell made my head scream in pain. He picked me up and threw me again, this time my back smashed through the glass coffee table. Pain shot up my back and tears fell from my eyes. "Were you?"

He moved towards me again and I whimpered, "Gale, please." He took another a step and I scrambled over to the corner of the room on my hands and knees, getting shredded by shards of glass.

"Please what?" he finally reached the corner where I was scrunched, cowering away from him. I pushed some blood caked hair away from my face and felt the tears keep coming.

I sat there and a few sobs tumbled out of my mouth before I sniveled, "I'm sorry, I swear." He then stopped for a few moments and my pulse roared in my ears. I could not believe that my best friend was about to kill me. He reached down and yanked me to my feet and my knees wobbled so much that I nearly fell back down. He grabbed my arms and then I lost my cool and starting screaming, "Stop! Please stop! Gale, stop hurting me! Please! Please!" I had literally resulted to begging and I couldn't believe myself. I was sobbing uncontrollably now and could barely breathe.

Gale reached up and covered my mouth and ordered, "Stop." I tried to pull myself together and somewhat succeeded. "You're really sorry?" he asked quietly. I swallowed and nodded, not trusting myself to open my mouth, afraid that I would start pleading again. "Kiss me then," he said, his voice sounding almost curious for my reply.

I thought about it for a second and then made up my mind. I already looked too pathetic and I could not lose all of my dignity. I would not die looking that tragic. So I wiped my eyes quickly and narrowed my eyes. I spoke clearly and summoned all my strength, "No, I will neve-"and he threw me down. My moment of bravery had ended because before I knew it, I was screaming implores again.

But before he could swing his leg out to kick me I heard someone yell, "Stop!" I turned around to see Peeta in the doorway, his eyes filled with horror and anger. He ran over and pulled me up off of the floor, hugging me to his chest. I sobbed into him, soaking his shirt with my tears. He wiped a few tears away and asked, "Are you ok?" All I could do was nod.

Then Gale walked up and ripped me away from Peeta, "Don't touch him."

Peeta pulled me behind him, "No, you don't touch her. How dare you? You're her best friend!" Peeta was yelling in his face and I just watched in terror. It wasn't that I thought Peeta couldn't take Gale. He stood about an inch taller and his muscles were bigger than Gale's. Gale was just so angry, who knew what he was capable of? Gale through the first punch and it connected with Peeta's jaw. Peeta punched him back and then Gale ran at him, tackling to the floor. Somehow Peeta got on top of him and punched him several times in the face. "Don't ever touch her again," he said. Finally, Peeta turned to me and pulled me into his arms. I couldn't help but cry as he took me out of the house and we walked towards his. I heard Gale moan in pain but, for the first time, I didn't care.

**So? Did the chapter live up to you expectations? Suggestions? R&R please! Thanks for reading!**


	5. He Understands

**Okay, I know a lot of you liked the last chapter, and I'm so glad! I hope you continue to like how the story is going! Here you go!**

Peeta stuck his key in the doorknob and turned, opening the door to his house. He took my hand in his and walked inside, leading me into his kitchen. "Why don't you go take a shower? Then you can clean up your cuts and we can have some dinner. Does that sound good?" he talked to me carefully, as if one wrong word could make me shatter.

"Yeah," I said and turned away from him. I walked up the steps that were almost identical to the ones in my actual house. I found his bathroom quickly and hopped in the shower. The hot water felt good on my aching head but each cut screamed in pain whenever water touched it. I washed my hair and finally turned off the water.

Wrapping a towel around myself, I looked outside the bathroom door. Peeta had left some big pajama pants that must have been his and a baggy t-shirt. I smiled and took them into the room with me. I put my old shirt back on because it looked ok. I had been wearing a jacket when Gale, erm, attacked me. I then put on Peeta's pajama pants and I couldn't stop myself from giggling. They were huge on my and I felt like I was wearing a giant plaid bag. They were soft though and they smelled like him. I grabbed a brush that was on the counter and started to comb out my hair.

Then I heard a knock on the door, "Katniss?" I reached back and opened the door, not looking away from the mirror. My forehead was now completely bruised and my neck had bruises showing where Gale had squeezed. I was looking down at my hands when Peeta entered. They were covered in slices, a small amount of blood still seeping from them. "Well I love the outfit you have chosen," he said with a goofy grin.

I was surprised when a small smile came across my face. "Yeah, some guy left them for me. What size are these anyway?" I spun in a circle to show him how much they hung off of me. He chuckled lightly and then looked at my hands.

"Oh, that looks like it stings. I brought some bandages," he took a roll and started to wrap it around my hand. I winced and he stopped for a moment, "I'm sorry."

I smiled and said, "It's fine, go ahead." He was starting to wrap my other hand when I was looking at the counter. Peeta's toothbrush was sitting there and there was a small blue bottle underneath the cabinet. "What that?" I asked, pointing to the mystery container.

Peeta laughed, suddenly looking embarrassed. "That's cologne actually. I know you won't believe this, but I don't naturally smell that amazing," he said with a wink.

I let out a real laugh on that one. I was amazed that one thing from Peeta could change my mood so drastically. "What? I don't believe it!" I said sarcastically. I lifted up my leg for him to wrap up my knee.

"I know right. I can't have amazing good looks and smell awesome at the same time! That takes years of practice," he smiled again. I laughed louder this time and Peeta's expression softened, "You have such a great laugh. I wish I could hear it more often." I blushed now and he changed the subject, "Looks like your all wrapped up. Let's go downstairs and get some dinner!"

Thankful to not have to stare at my battered self anymore, I followed him downstairs. An amazing smell wafted from the kitchen. "Yum! What is it?" I hadn't realized how hungry I was. The only thing I ate all day was the cinnamon roll Peeta gave me.

"You will just have to see," he said smiling as he pulled something delicious-looking out of the oven. He took out two plates and utensils. He cut me a big helping of, well, whatever it was. The outside of it was bread, but when you cut into it, juicy meat and vegetables came spilling out. "Are you thirsty? Help yourself to anything in the fridge," he offered generously. I sat down at the table and opened my bottle of water. I took a quick sip and then dug my fork into the aromatic meal.

I took a bite and groaned with delight, "Peeta! This is delicious! What meat is this? It tastes like deer!" Peeta smiled and nodded to tell me that I was correct. "Well, its amazing! You need to open up your own restaurant, not just a bakery!"

Peeta's eyes twinkled and he smiled once more, making my heart sing. "Well thanks, I will have to cook for you again sometime then."

My mouth was full so I just closed my eyes and nodded several times. I heard him chuckle and I swallowed my food. "So, how has life back in twelve been?"

He took a bite and chewed slowly, thinking over the question. "It has been good, brings back some bad memories though." I nodded at this part, knowing exactly what he meant. "But it also brings back good memories, like the time I gave you that bread in the rain," he paused and smiled, his eyes somewhere distant. "How has your life been? Well, besides, you know…" he trailed off, looking embarrassed.

I laughed slightly, "I know what you meant. It's been okay, I guess. I started off just crying all the time. Whenever I saw something that reminded me of Prim, Finnick, Cinna, or the old District 12. Then," I paused to take a sip of my water. "I started to get used to it. I still have nightmares, but not every single night anymore. But my home life is…. quiet, I guess you could say. Ever since Gale started, um, getting angry, we stopped talking very much."

Peeta's eyes filled with concern and he said, "I'm sorry. How bad did he hurt you? Why didn't you tell anybody? I mean, if you don't want to talk about it, I completely understand." He stopped and looked like he regretted everything that just came out of his mouth.

I shook my head and gave him a small smile, "No, it's fine. That was the worst it has ever been, when you walked in. He never really made me afraid for my life, well until today. Usually he would just slap me of push me into something," I shrugged it off and popped the last bite of my delightful dinner into my mouth.

Peeta looked at me sadly and shook his head, "I'm so sorry. I should have been here to protect you." He ran his hand through his hair restlessly, "I should have come earlier and stopped him. I-"

I cut him off quickly, "Peeta no. You couldn't have done anything; you didn't know." I slid my hand over and placed it on top of his. "I didn't tell anybody because I didn't want Gale to get in trouble after all he'd been through. I felt that maybe it was my fault, that I was provoking him. And also, I didn't want people to see me as weak, like I couldn't take care of myself."

Peeta squeezed my hand and said, "Oh don't worry about that. I definitely know how tough you are. You could have stopped him, but you didn't want to hurt him. He was, is, your best friend, and you care about him."

I looked back at him and I couldn't believe that Peeta understood me so easily. I realized just how much I missed him. "Your completely right," I said and squeezed his hand back. I then pushed myself away from the table and stretched. "Peeta, that really was an incredible meal. Thank you so much."

Peeta stood up too then and said, "I actually have one more thing. I've been waiting for a special occasion to have them, but what is more special than having the Mockingjay in my house?" He winked at me and I rolled my eyes. I watched him go into the kitchen and pull something out of the cupboard. He walked over and plopped down on the couch, motioning for me to sit next to him.

I followed him over there and looked curiously at the wrapped objects. "What are they?"

He opened the package slowly and pulled out a few sugar cookies. He handed one to me and then grabbed one for himself. Then he closed the box, "These are from the recipe from when my dad used to make these. You know the last time I saw one of these?" I shook my head no as I nibbled on the scrumptious cookie. He took a bite himself and then finished his thought, "My dad brought me some when he said goodbye to me at the Reaping."

I froze. I was afraid that talking about it might bring back an episode, and that at any minute Peeta start thrashing around and screaming. But Peeta just sat there calm and finished the cookie. "Seems like so long ago, doesn't it?" I say, testing the waters.

Peeta shook his head and half-smiled, "I know, crazy huh? I miss him a lot."

I felt bad for him. Peeta had always been so strong that I haven't asked about his losses. I rested my head on his shoulder and said, "Well, I'm sure he was a great father. He was definitely an awesome baker." He laughed and I sat up, "Well I should probably head to bed. If I'm welcome to stay?"

Peeta laughed again and stood up, "Of course, Katniss, you always are. You can take the guest room where you took the shower. Here, I will walk you up."

I walked up the stairs and reached the room, so I turned around to face Peeta. "Thank you so much, Peeta, for everything."

His face lit up with a smile as he spoke, "Don't give it a second thought. I love having you around." We stood in silence for a few moments, just looking at each other. Then Peeta said, "Good night, Katniss," and dropped a kiss on my cheek. I almost shivered at his touch. He turned around and started to walk away.

"Peeta?" I said before I could stop myself. Then suddenly, he turned around and I was in his arms. He kissed me slowly and held me against him gently. When he finally pulled away, he pushed a piece of hair away from my face.

"I still love you," he said quietly. "Always have." A smile returned to my face and I blushed slightly, not sure how to reply. But before I could open my mouth, he kissed my cheek again, and he was gone.

**I know it was kind of small, but I want to save some for the next chapters! I have to come up with more ideas for the plot, so any suggestions are helpful! R&R please! Thanks for reading!**


	6. It Might Be Ok

**Okay, I know it has been a while, but I really love this chapter! I hope you guys do too! Enjoy!**

When I woke up, I was curled into a ball on the side of the soft full bed. Sheets were wrapped around me in strange ways and it took me a few minutes to untangle myself. I stood up and stretched, looking out the window. The sun was out today and, if I listened closely, I could hear a bird singing in the distance.

I thought about what Peeta said last night. Immediately, I was thankful that he had walked away quickly. I do not know what I would have said. I mean, I definitely care about Peeta. We had been through so much together. He had risked his life for me on numerous occasions and we had helped each other through the nights. I remembered those cuddly nights on the train and shivered; the world suddenly cold without Peeta's arms wrapped around me.

The smell of something baking downstairs interrupted my thoughts. The aroma made my stomach growl and I was drawn out the door. I pulled the blanket off of the bed and draped it around me shoulders. I clambered silently down the stairs and saw Peeta in the fridge. He grabbed some a carton of milk and poured a glass.

"Something smells good," I said dreamily and sat down at the kitchen table. Peeta looked up at me and a wide grin spread across his face. He brushed some of his blonde hair out of his eyes and grabbed a tray full of muffins.

Taking one out and handing it to me he said, "Good morning, Katniss. They are blueberry muffins, by the way. How did you sleep?" He sat down next to me, sipping his milk.

"Pretty good, actually. I don't even remember waking up in the middle of the night," I said softly and then took a bite. The moist muffin crumbled in my mouth, a blueberry squirting sweet juice all over my taste buds. "Mmmmm," was all I managed to get out.

"I'm glad," he said with a smile, and shot back the rest of his drink. "I was planning on going in to the bakery, but what do you want to do today? You could come to the bakery with me or hang around here. I mean, if you want to go back to Gale's, that's fine too. Whatever you decide."

He looked at me and waited for my response. I didn't think I would be able to face Gale just yet, so I shook my head. "I think I will just stay here for today. I will have to go back to the house soon though, because I don't have any clothes or anything," I stated plainly as I finished my muffin. Peeta eyed me for a few seconds and then I quickly added in, "If it's ok for me to stay?"

He chuckled and answered, "No, that's not why I was staring at you. You can stay as long as you would like. I was just thinking that I might have some of my cousin's clothes up in the closet in that guest room. Her name was Ella, and she stayed with my family a lot. She is twenty now and the clothes aren't from too long ago. They might fit you."

"Oh, that sounds nice, thanks," I said quietly and stood up, stretching.

He glanced quickly at the clock and said, "Well, I better get going." He walked over to me and opened his arms. I walked into them and he hugged me tight. He pulled back, "I just have this feeling, like if I turn my back you will be gone, or hurt, or . . ." he trailed off and squeezed me. "Just like we are back in the arena, and I could lose you at any second."

He looked down at me with sad eyes and I said, "I know what you mean, but I promise, I will be here when you get back." I gave him a small smile and he gently kissed my forehead. I got one last look at the mop of blonde wavy hair on his head before the door closed behind him.

I stood in the middle of the living room and tried to figure out what to do. I thought about Peeta saying that he still loved me. Did I love him? I knew that I cared about him, and I probably needed him. I did love him, but I wasn't sure if I knew how. I didn't know if knew how to love anyone in a romantic way anymore.

I brushed my teeth and then came back downstairs to watch tv. I stared at the reporter at the screen who was standing in front of a new building at the Capitol. Her hair was yellow, almost to a normal color. Her old Capitol accent faded in and out of her speech. I must have dozed off, because before I knew it, a knock came at the door. At first I thought that I had dreamed it, but then it came again, so I got up and lazily shouted, "Who is it?"

The gruff voice surprised me and I stopped in my tracks. "Katniss? It's me, Gale. I'm really sorry about what happened, can you please come out here and talk to me?" I stayed silent. Part of me wanted to go out there and talk to him, give him a chance to explain himself. The other part of my wanted to hide in the closet until he went away. "Katniss, I know you are scared. I got carried away, I'm sorry. Just come out," the voice was a little louder this time, as if gaining strength. I still couldn't speak. "Ok, come talk to me soon, please. I brought your sandals because I thought you might need some shoes. You left without any last night. I will leave them here." I heard him set them down and walk away.

I let out a huge breathe of relief and decided that I definitely needed to get out of the house. I had slept for a few hours, because by now it was late afternoon, maybe four. I headed upstairs and changed the bandages on my hands, wiping each cut with cool water. Then I went to look in the closet where Peeta said the extra clothes would be. I only found a cardboard box, so I opened it. Inside, there were three dresses. I groaned inwardly, but the weather outside was warm so I would have to deal.

I pulled out one light green dress that had a small brown belt around the waist. I slipped it on over my head and found that it was, indeed, a pretty dress. I fastened the belt and went on to my hair. I decided to put my hair in two braids, like when Peeta told the story about what I looked like when he first saw me sing in the music assembly. I decided that I was dressed up enough and went outside to fetch me sandals. I slipped them on and started towards the bakery.

I listened to each step as my sandal slapped on the pavement. I tried to focus on that and not be afraid that Gale might jump out and strangle me. By the time I got to the bakery, the sun was low in the sky. I heard the bells chime as I stepped in the door breathed in the smells that define Peeta.

"Katniss, is something wrong?" Peeta asked quickly. He wiped his hands on his apron and then hastily tried to move his hair out of his eyes.

"No, I just felt like I needed to get out of the house. Gale came by and wanted to talk to me. I ignored him but . . . it kind of messed with my head," I said clumsily, stumbling over my words.

"Oh darn, I thought maybe you just missed me!" he said and cracked a smile. I awarded his goofiness with a giggle. I walked towards him and he reached out for me, taking my hands in his. "You look beautiful, by the way."

I closed the distance between us and laid my head against his chest, "Thanks, and I _did_ miss you."

Peeta wrapped his arms around me and then said, "I missed you too. Oh and a friend of mine, Spencer, stopped by the bakery today. He and his wife, Mable, are going to dinner and he wanted to know if we would like to join them?"

I pulled back a little bit to look up at his face: his sapphire eyes, chiseled jaw, full lips. His arms were not fully around me anymore, but his hands still lingered at my waist. "Oh. Where are they going to dinner?"

He scratched his chin and thought about it, "I think this new place called The Bog. It was just finished a few weeks ago but now it's pretty popular. There's a dance floor and a bar, some new type of restaurant."

I couldn't remember the last time I went to a restaurant. We didn't really have them in District 12, unless you count Greasy Sae's cart. They were sort of a rich people thing. "Sure, let's do it!" I try to give him the most dazzling smile I can and he returns one to me.

"Great! Let me just get Rick to lock up and we can meet them there," he said to me as he pulled off his apron. I nodded in agreement as he said some things to the dark haired boy behind the counter. I waved goodbye and we walked down street of the new marketplace.

Some darkness had fallen already but the heat was still there. It was a warm, inviting feeling and as I walked next to Peeta, I felt carefree. "So who is this Spencer?" I ask inquisitively.

Peeta turned to look at me with that smile that never seemed to leave his face and said, "An old friend from school actually. He was two grades older than me, but we were pretty close. We lived near each other and we would hang out. He's twenty- one now, and he's a construction worker."

I was just about to reply when we reached The Bog. I walked in the door and saw the walls were a forest green and string of green lights fell from the ceiling like vines. There was a large dance floor in the middle of the room that was a silvery blue. I guessed from the name that it was supposed to look like a sort of swamp scene.

Tables were scattered around the room and Peeta looked around until a man stood up and called his name, "Peeta!" The man ushered them over to the table. He was about Peeta's height and had dark brown, almost black, hair. He had gray Seam eyes like me and he stuck a hand out towards me, "Hi, you must be Katniss. I'm Spencer and this is my wife Mable." He motioned towards the woman sitting at the table. She had auburn hair and stunning green eyes. Her mouth opened into a striking smile that showed the dimples on her cheeks. She shook my hand also and Spencer finished his introduction, "Peeta and I were friends all through middle and high school."

I smiled at the man and his wife, already being able to tell that they were nice people. Peeta and I sat down and I said, "Well it's so nice to meet you guys."

The woman, Mable, answered me, "Oh, it's even better to meet you, the Mockingjay! You are such a strong person to stand up after all you have been through, well from what I have seen from the television."

Peeta's eyes widened, thinking that maybe they had touched a sensitive subject. But I played it off and put my hand over his to show him that I was fine. "Oh, well thank you. It has been a crazy few years, but we are getting through it. Please excuse me if my manners are off, I haven't been socializing with people much," I say and offer a shy smile.

"Oh no, you are doing just fine," she says as she folds her napkin on her lap. "So Peeta, how is the bakery going?"

I sit back and relax a little bit, ready for Peeta to take the lead. He had always been so much better with words than I had. "It is going great, thanks for asking. There are so many people coming in now, way more than when my parents owned it."

Spencer, who had been pretty quiet so far, chimed in, "That's because your so darn charismatic, Mellark! He used to take all the girls in school!" We all chuckled and I decided that I definitely liked these people. The waiter came and took our orders and then we continued our conversation.

Peeta smiled but shrugged off the compliment, "I guess. Mable, what is it you do again?"

The kind woman sipped her iced tea and then replied, "I am a medicine woman. I just got a new place off the main road. You can come on in there and I'll fix anything you have."

"Really?" I said. "My mom was a medicine woman of some sort. I grew up with all sorts of home remedies and patients coming in and out of the house. My mother never had a clinic though. It's amazing, all the progress here in twelve, isn't it?" That started off the rest of the conversations over dinner. We talked about new construction projects and changes in the capital. I surprised myself with how much I was interacting. These people were so nice and easy going. I found it easy to talk to them for some reason.

Finally, after we all finished our food, Peeta stood up. "Would you like to dance?" he asked and held his hand out dramatically. I laughed as I heard the slow song in the background and I accepted his offer. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he settled his around my waist. We swayed back and forth to the music as he asked, "Are you having fun?"

I nodded and smiled brightly, "Yeah, I like them a lot! And I can't remember the last time I danced."

He swirled me in a circle and I giggled. "I'm glad, and you're a good dancer." I snorted and was about to say something back when I heard glass shatter behind me. I yanked away from Peeta and spun around, staring at the waitress on the floor who was trying to clean up the glass she dropped. A series of scenes flashed through my mind: explosions, gunfire, cannons in the arena, my sister bursting into flames. I stood there paralyzed until Peeta gently shook me, "Katniss, are you ok?"

I snapped back into reality and nodded slowly, trying to get the images out of my mind. Prim screaming, Prim on fire, Prim begging for me to help her. "I-, I'm ok. Just got a little freaked, that's all." Peeta still looked concerned so I gave him a weak smile. "Really, I'm good. But I seriously am a terrible dancer."

Okay, I know it has been a while, but I really like this chapter! I hope you guys do too!

After a few seconds, a smile returned to Peeta's face and he laughed. "You are? Have you seen me wobble around on this fake leg?" He spun me goofily again and I couldn't stop myself from laughing again. He then pulled me tight to his chest and we danced in silence for a few moments, just enjoying being with him.

Then I realized, I do love Peeta, I always have. If Gale, or anyone else for that matter, asked me to go out to dinner, I would have declined. If anyone else asked me to dance, I would have laughed and said no. If I had been with anyone, and I mean anyone, else right now, after that Prim episode, I would have been sobbing. But just seconds after, Peeta had me smiling and laughing again. So I summoned my courage and spoke up, "Peeta, about what you said last night."

He looked down at me and smiled gently, "You don't have to reply to that. I kno-"

I cut him off before I could chicken out, "No, I want to. Peeta, I do love you. I always have loved you. You are the only person who can make me feel this way. Who can take me out of my depressing moods and, somehow, make me smile again. The only thing is," I paused, drawing in a breath. "I'm not exactly sure how to. I'm not really stable right now, emotionally," I reached up and gingerly touched the bruise on my face. "Or physically. I really love you, but I don't know if I will be able to love you the right way." I said the last part softly and looked up at him expectantly, waiting for his reply. A few tears had actually made their way out of my eyes and were racing down my cheeks.

Peeta finally smiled again and cupped my face with his hands. "Do you think I'm stable? Either way? I have a fake leg, for crying out loud!" I giggled at this part and he wiped a tear away with his thumb. "The only reason I could control myself when that glass shattered, was focused on you. I can tell you that there will be some times when I am going to be just crazy, and I'm working on fixing that still. But I can promise that I will love you every step of the way. There is no right way, Katniss. The only right thing, is having you in my arms."

I looked down, suddenly shy, and said, "I'm not sure if you really know what you are getting into. I am not that steady of a person."

He shook his head and looked me in the eyes, "I know exactly what kind of person you are, and I love her. I love her so, so, so much. Stepping into that arena with you is the best thing that has ever happened to me, because it got me standing right here with you."

My eyes were filled with more tears now; no one had ever made me feel that special. I couldn't think of words to say so I just leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. And suddenly, it felt like everything just might end up ok.

**So? How was it? Where should the story go from here? Review please and thanks for reading!**


	7. I Need You Too

**Okay, I feel so bad that I haven't updated in forever! But the other times I went to write it, I wasn't very inspired so I knew it wouldn't turn out very good. And I want you guys to love it, so hopefully you do! Here you go(:**

"Well it was a pleasure getting to meet you, Katniss. Peeta has talked a lot about you," Spencer said with a smile. "Gosh, he's been talking about you since, what, fifth grade? I remember-"

Peeta cut him off and I could see him blushing, "Yep, good times! Thanks Spence!" He gave Spencer a small shove and I giggled, not used to seeing Peeta embarrassed.

"Well, it was so nice meeting both of you," I said and offered a smile. I turned to Mable and spoke again, "Hopefully we can do something like this again!"

The woman's kind, green eyes lit up as she said, "Oh, I would love that. With all the recoveries still being made, it's nice to have friends." Looking at Mable, I could tell she had been through a lot. She looked nineteen, maybe twenty, but her eyes held so much more.

We said our goodbye and then started towards the door. It had cooled down quite a bit outside, but I was still comfortable. Peeta reached out his hand and I took it, liking the way it made me feel. This night had felt real. This past year I felt dead, mechanical almost, in my movements. I was just moving day to day, waiting for the next panic attack. I feel alive again with Peeta, like happiness means something, like life means something, like I mean something. "Thank you, tonight was perfect. I just needed to have some fun," I said, looking up at him.

"I'm really glad you came. I miss being with you, Katniss. We were together through both of the games, and then I got captured, and the rebellions happened, and then everything was gone. It was like we didn't even know each other anymore." He sighed and my heart ached. He was right. His life was destroyed because of me and I wasn't even there for him. I should have tried to contact him, but I just couldn't.

I bit my lip and spoke, "I know, and I'm sorry about that. I just didn't know if you were stable enough, or I was, to see me again. I just got lost, that's all."

"It's not your fault, Katniss. It was just the situation we were thrown into," he smiled gently and squeezed my hand. We were getting close to Victor's Village and a light wind had started to blow. Peeta was fumbling to get his hair out of his eyes and I giggled.

"You really need to cut your hair. I could do it; I used to cut Prim's hair all the time." The memory made me sad, but Peeta's remark made he smile again.

"You really think I'm going to let you near my head with scissors? You're crazy! I'm going to end up bald or something!" He laughed and I couldn't help but join in.

"Hey! I'm not that bad! I did my own hair like a week ago, see?" I pulled on my braids to show him that the length was even.

"Oh, that's what happened to your hair! I was wondering about that," he teased me with a goofy smile.

I punched him playfully in the arm and giggled again. But a quiet word made me stop in my tracks. "Hey," Gale said with a weak smile. I wasn't sure what to do, but I held on the Peeta for dear life, probably cutting off the circulation in his forearm.

"Hi," I squeaked out. There was a sad look in his eyes but I forced myself not to care. I focused the feeling of Peeta's thumb stroking the back of my hand, keeping me calm.

Gale stared at his shoes and said, "If you need anything from the house, you can pick it up tomorrow. I'll be meeting with Charlie out of town, so I won't be home. Take anything you need." He made eye contact with me one last time and then walked back towards his house.

I let out a huge breath once Gale was out of sight. I loosened my grip on Peeta's hand and looked up at him, "Sorry about that, he just puts me on edge."

Peeta gave me a reassuring smile and pulled me into him. He wrapped his strong arms around me and he said into my ear, "Don't do that."

A little confused by his comment, I said, "What?"

"Don't ever apologize for needing me. Because I love being there for you, and I need you too." He pulled my chin up so I met his eyes. They were more serious than I was expecting, with emotion swirled into that sky blue.

I gave him a small smile and said, "Okay." Then his normal, gorgeous smile appeared on his face again and he kissed me gently.

"Alright, let's get home," he let go of my body and grasped my hand once again. Once we got inside he turned to me and asked, "Are you going to Gale's tomorrow?"

I thought about it for a moment and then realized that I really do need more clothes. "Umm, yeah, I am. I don't really know how long I'm going to be staying here, but I need clothes."

He started to walk towards the phone and said, "Okay, I'll just leave a message for Rick telling him that I will be coming in later."

I grabbed the phone out of Peeta's hand and said, "You don't need to go with me, just go to work, and I will meet you at the bakery after."

He frowned at me, "Are you sure? What if something happens? Or he comes back early?" He started to chew on his lip, showing his nervousness.

I put my hand on his arm to soothe him, "Yes, I'm sure. I can take care of myself. I won the Hunger Games Peeta, remember that?" I gave him a joking smile.

"Hey! _We _won the Hunger Games," said with a half smile.

"Of course," I said with a giggle. "Well, I am going to sleep, goodnight." I leaned in to hug him one last time. He squeezed me tightly and kissed my forehead.

When I reached the top of the staircase he called up to me, "Goodnight Katniss, I just want you to be safe, that's all." He looked up at me with loving eyes and I couldn't help but smile back.

"I will be," I called back as I waltzed into my room.

_Boy, was I wrong._

**Alright, I know its really short, but I had to get the ball rolling here! The next chapter will be longer, I promise! Please review with any comments or suggestions you have! I pretty much have the next chapter planned out but I still would love to hear your ideas! And I'm totally open to using them in the story! Thanks so much for sticking with me! Bye!**


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